Anonymous donation.

We have some marvellous news. An anonymous donation of £60,000 has been given to Dorothy's Well Project. This significantly boosts our fund raising and will allow us to build at least 2 extra wells and latrines next year.

The donation has come as a result of the coverage on BBC Look North. The benefactors were keen to support the project as it is normal local people helping those in a less fortunate circumstance, and all funds raised go direct to the project.

The BBC report can be seen at http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/wear/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8225000/8225461.stm

Just Giving is now available

We are now a registered charity and have a site on Just Giving.
Just Giving is a website where you can make a donation to our fund raising.
Log onto the site at:

http://www.justgiving.com/Charity/Donate.aspx?cid=187331

You can of course still pass donations to Jim or any of the fund raisers and we can easily claim back the gift aid on your donation. Remember if you pass any donations to us 100% of your donation and the gift aid goes to the charity, we do not take off any expenses.

Future plans

We have now been recognised by the Charities Commission as a charity and our registration is almost complete. This will allow us to claim gift aid on all our donations and in addition, we will be opening a 'Just Giving' site for people who chose to use this.





There will be a chance to see the video of the well drilling at a coffee morning in Esh village, look out for information or posters in the village.





Support from BBC Look North continues and they plan to screen some of the video on 23rd September. A date which is poignant to me as it is the third anniversary of when Dorothy's lost her fight against breast cancer.





We have ambitious plans for our future fund raising including the traditional coffee mornings and a ceilidh. We will again be walking the Coast to Coast and invite you to consider if you would like to join us on the walk. Watch this space or contact me on 07711983252 or by email at jimoconnor@utilityservicesltd.co.uk for further information.

this is the impact we have had

This shows the water which was used for drinking, food preparation and washing prior to the drilling of Dorothy's Well, and the fresh, clean water which was pumped out of the well.





By the simple funding of a well we are able to break a cycle of poor hygiene, illness and death due to the use of contaminated water. Our task is now to provide wells in communities where the need is even greater due to their isolation and filthy water supplies.





Its sad to think that the water is only a few metres under the surface and is there for the people to use if only we can provide them with the funding to build more wells.





How can we walk away and ignore these children . We will continue fund raising and with God's will and your generosity we plan to drill 2 more well in 2010.

Dorothy's Well.

This is the first jets of water coming out of the well, the borehole was giving a good pressure and will serve 350 school children plus a community of 3500.
The borehole was capped and a well head constructed and a simple hand pump installed.





I was very humbled to see the first water coming from a well built in my wife Dorothy's memory and paid for by the incredible generosity of so many people.


This shows the startling difference between a glass of water from the stream and water from Dorothy's well

A plaque was installed to show everyone that this was Dorothy's well.

Would you use this water for your cup of tea for your family

Prior to the drilling of Dorothy's Well the children walked for over an hour to collect water from this muddy stream which had flowed through a number of villages where there was no sanitation and was used by cattle and wild animals.

This is the water that the children collected to use for drinking, food preparation and washing......we would not even wash our cars with it.

Visit to Tanzania.

I have just returned from a very successful visit to Tanzania where I have commissioned the drilling of our first 'Dorothy's Well

I took with me 3 suitcases of soap and school materials for the schools in Machame. These were gifts from our dedicated fundraisers and were well received by the staff and pupils. The Headteacher from one of the schools is seen here with me opening the gifts with gratitude.

The well contract was given to a Christian based drilling company. They had previously carried out a seismic survey to establish that the geology was likely to provide us with a water source.

The drilling took 2 days and whilst we reached water at 15metres we drilled to 100 metres to ensure a clean and reliable water source.

Once the borehole had been drilled the hole was lined with plastic piping and the cavity filled with gravel to act as a filter.

Tanzanians visit

Dorothy's Well Project is supporting a group of schools who are twinned to schools in County Durham under the British Council project. In early July a group of 6 teachers and Head teachers from Tanzania visited the UK and spend time in their schools. During the busy week they were also given hospitality and a taste of British life in our homes. These pictures cover some of the events.

Durham City Lions support the Tanzanians

Durham City Lions have supported the fund raising project by giving donations and helping run the tombola at our fund raising events. During their recent visit to the UK Lion President Keith Vear, on behalf of the Lions Club, gave the Tanzanians some spending money. They are seen here at an evening hosted by Jim.

Ben said I want to ride my uni-cycle

Our fund raising is progressing well and we are working towards our second well. Our latest supporter is Ben Broome. Ben cycled on his uni-cycle from Edinburgh to Newcastle in August in support of Dorothy's Well Project. This was a significant challenge for this 14 year old young man and his efforts deserve all your support and sponsorship.

Details of how to sponsor Ben are on this poster below, all you need to do is ring him on the number below or email Jim for details.

Our latest news

We have had a busy few months raising funds for our Well in Tanzania and have the tremendous news that we have raised sufficient money to place an order for the drilling of Dorothy's Well and the sufficient of latrines. Work has started on site for the latrines and the well will be sunk in August. With the huge support of our fund raisers we have sufficient funds to continue with a programme to sink an additional well next year, with our ambitions to be able to fund 2 wells during 2010. The impact that this will have on the people of Tanzania is tremendous, children will be able to spend more time in school, whole families will be healthier and have a better standard of living.

We are still busy fund raising: Ben Broome, a 14 year old, from Esh is planning a sponsored unicycle ride from Edinburgh to Durham. We will keep you posted on his progress but I'm sure you will give him your support.

Next year we plan to repeat the coast to coast walk with 12 places being available for walkers who can bring significant sponsorship with them to the event. If you would like to apply for this 190mile walk please contact us through the blog or our emails. Participants in the walk will also be given the opportunity of joining a group of people who will be visiting Tanzania to see the wells and to go on a safari (all at their own expense).

Many thanks to all who have contributed so far, our journey is just beginning and we are focused on building more wells to help the people of Tanzania.

The Coast to Coast finish

Bill presenting Jim with a certificate at the end of the Walk

Friends and family join at the finish

The C2C team: Bill,Chris, Pat, Malcolm and Christina

These socks were made for walking.

In the Bible there is a verse in 2 Kings 2:21 which says:

I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.

To me this sums up the whole purpose of this project. The look in this young boy's eyes says it all, we must continue with our efforts to raise sufficient money to fund the well.

We now have a full itinerary and route for the Walk for Water. If you want to join us on this walk let Jim or any any of the team know and we will tell you where we will be at any point during the week.

If you don't fancy walking there are sponsor forms around the village and you can pledge a donation to help us on our way.

Dorothy's Well Project, Tanzania

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

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PLEASE HELP JIM TO BRING US A WELL WITH FRESH, CLEAN WATER

Every 20 seconds a child in Africa dies from a preventable disease associated with lack of clean water and water related diseases are responsible for 80% of all illness and death in the developing world.

We sometimes don’t realise how blessed we are, consider for a moment we have a house, two cars, clothes, food and clean drinking water. This puts us in the top 5% of the richest people in the world. We never even think of it this way. Did you know that one billion people in the world are without clean drinking water? It doesn’t have to be this way; we can actually make a big difference. The provision of clean, un-contaminated drinking water through the drilling of deep, capped water wells can end this cycle of suffering and death.


YOU CAN HELP CHANGE THIS.
Last year, on a two week trip helping in schools in Tanzania I witnessed at first hand the devastating plight of the school children and villagers in this country. They had no access to clean drinking water and the women and children would walk for three hours every day carrying 20kg containers of dirty bacteria infested water which had flowed through villages with no sanitation and which was often shared with cattle and wild animals, knowing that what they were carrying would probably make them sick
This trip had a profound impact on my life and I was greatly affected by the plight of these people.

On my return to the UK I started to formulate an action plan with the aim of returning to Tanzania to sink a deep well to ensure the children and villagers that I had met would have access to clean safe drinking water, because one well will transform the lives of over 1000 people.
Lack of access to clean water and sanitation is one of the root causes of poverty and hopelessness in Africa.
Sustainable initiatives can really transform people’s lives. By providing access to clean water and distribution to a community we open the door to numerous other initiatives.
Children can attend school instead of fetching water, families can irrigate their crops and the community can embrace the sanitation and hygiene practices that support preventative health care.

WHY DOROTHY’S WELL ?

The Well is to be named Dorothy's Well in honour of my wife who died 2 years ago at the age of 56 after a long battle with cancer. Many of the fund raisers are my family, friends, colleagues and neighbours

THE WELL.

The well will be drilled to a depth of 103 meters to ensure that uncontaminated water will be reached. The project has partnered with a Christian based Well Engineering Company from Arushain, Tanzania. The drilling will take approximately a week and members of the project will be on site, at their own personal expense to oversee the work.

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE
Dorothy’s Well will provide clean drinking water for 1000 people. Currently the women and children walk for 3 hours every day carrying 20kg containers of dirty bacteria infested water which has flowed through villages with no sanitation and which was often shared with cattle and wild animals. They have no alternative even though they know the water will make them
sick.


Can you imagine having no running water for a drink,to do the dishes or have a shower. We take so much forgranted. Please help us to transform a Community and put a permanent smile on these children’s faces

WHEN WATER COMES.....EVERYTHING CHANGES

The Well is a sustainable initiative which will transform the people’s lives. By providing access to clean water we open the door to numerous opportunities. Children can attend school instead of fetching water, families can irrigate their crops and the community can embrace the sanitation and hygiene practices that support preventative health care. Through our partners at the school in Machame we can educate the villagers to use the well correctly.

Would you drink water that was as dirty as this??

Can you imagine fetching water in these containers?

How can you help
* Make a donation: cheques should be made payable to: ‘Dorothy’s Well Project Tanzania’.
* Hold an event and donate the proceeds
* Join us at the fund raising events
* Provide raffle or tombola prizes
* Sponsor me and the team on the Coast to Coast Walk
* Keep in touch with us and add your comments to our blog.

For further information please contact Jim O’Connor, Rose Cottage, Esh, Durham, DH7 9QS,
tel 07711983252 or email: jimoconnor@utilityservicesltd.co.uk.